Umbrella-run n er



(No Model.)

' B. F. PORTER.

UMBRELLA RUNNER- No. 492,586. I Patented Feb. 28, 18.93.

\A/iTNEEEl-IE INVENTEIRZ.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

BENJAMIN F. PORTER, OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

UMBRELLA-RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,586, dated February 28, 1893.

Application filed November 11,1892. Serial No 451,653- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known thatI, BENJAMIN F. PORTER, of Manchester, in the county of Hillsborough and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrella-Runners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the provision of such improvements in umbrella runners, and the latches or catches which hold in closed position and raised or spread, as will simplify their construction, and serve to strengthen both the runner and the umbrella stafi or stick.

As heretofore commonly constructed umbrella runners have been provided with a long slot into which a spring catch, set in a slot in the upper and lower part of the stad was adaptedto snap to hold the umbrella in opened and closed positions. This construction operated to deprive the runner of at least one half of its strength, and tended also to weaken the umbrella staff. By the present improvements these objections are overcome, the said improvements consisting in providing the stafi of the umbrella with two simple pins or catches, one in the upper part and the other in the lower partof the staff, and constructing the runner without a slot, but equipping it with a spring actuated rock rod or bar, provided at each end with a latch to engage the said pins or catches, a thumb piece being connected with the rock-rod or bar to enable the user to readily operate it, all as I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Reference is to be had to the annexed drawings and to the letters marked thereon,forminga part of this specification, the same letters designating the same parts or features, as the case may be, in both views.

In the drawingsFigure 1, is a side View of the invention, the central portion of the umbrella staff being shown as broken out. Fig. 2, is a top plan View of the umbrella runner without the stafi.

In the drawings a designates the umbrella staff, provided at its lower end, orin its lower part with a pin or catch 1), and in its upper part with a similar pin or catch 0. These catches are arranged in the same longitudinal plane with respect to the umbrella stalf, and their outer faces may be inclined toward each other.

at designates the umbrella runner provided at its upper end with the usual means for pivotally connecting the inner ends of the ribs therewith.

e designates a rock rod or bar having suitable bearings in flanges formed on the upper and lower ends of the runner, or it may be otherwise suitablysupported on or in the runner so as to be permitted to have a limited rocking movement imparted to it. The said rod has its ends extending beyond the runner bent so as to form latches f g is a spring secured at one end to the runner, and at the other end to the rock-rod, and

operating with a tendency to hold the catches pressed down against the umbrella staff.

h is a thumb-piece connected with the rockrod, and extending out therefrom so that the user of the umbrella, bypressing on the said thumb-piece'may rock the rod against the tension or stress of the springg and so move or raise the latches away from the staff.

In use when the umbrella is closed the runner will be moved down till thelower latchf snaps over the lower catch 0; and when it is desired to raise the umbrella the thumb of the hand may be placed on the thumb-piece h and the rod 6 rocked against the stress of the spring till the latch is released from the catch, and the runner will be moved up until it strikes the upper pin or catch, when it will not only be stopped, but the upper latch will snap over the upper catch, and so hold the umbrella raised. The lowering of the umbrella will be accomplished in a similar manner, the runner being moved down. Q

By myinvention it will be seen that it is not necessary to slot the runner, and in this way I am enabled to greatly enhance its strength,and at the same time to make it shorter and more sightly. I am also enabled to do away with the two unsightly springs set into slots in the upper and lower parts of the staff or stick which also have a tendency to weaken the same.

Having thus explained my invention and describeda way of constructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forth 10o all of the forms in which it may be made or all of its modes of use, I declare that what I claim is An umbrella runner comprising in its construction a rock rod or bar e having bearings in the runner and having its ends bent to form iatchesf, as described, a spring forholdin g the latches pressed against the staff, and a thumb piece h connected with the rock rod for mov- IO ing it against the stress or tension of the l spring, the said latches being adapted to engage pins or catches on the staif, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 31st day 0t [5 October, A. D. 1892.

BENJAMIN F. PORTER. Witnesses:

HIRAM FORSAITH, DAVID A. TAGGART. 

